No. 3 Beavers shake off no-hit funk, claim series win over ASU

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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Max Engelbrekt and Scott Schultz combined for 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief Sunday to help the third-ranked Oregon State baseball team hold off No. 20 Arizona State for a 4-3 win at Goss Stadium. With the win, the Beavers claimed the series over the Sun Devils, 2-1.

Engelbrekt came on in relief of reliever Dan Child in the fifth and worked 3 1/3 innings, holding the Sun Devils to two hits and four walks. The lefty improved to 3-0 with the win.

Schultz, meanwhile, picked up the save after going 1 1/3 innings. He held ASU to one hit and struck out one – the only “K” picked up by the OSU staff.

Arizona State threatened in the ninth, putting a runner at first when Max Rossiter singled. Johnny Sewald, pinch running for Rossiter, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and was forced to stay at second on a 6-3 groundout.

Sewald, however, was caught at third attempting to steal to end the game.

Michael Conforto hit what turned out to be the game-winning sacrifice fly in the fourth. The towering shot to right enabled Max Gordon to score the club’s fourth run of the game. OSU (21-2 overall, 5-1 Pac-12 Conference) scored three in the fifth, with Kavin Keyes scoring a sacrifice fly and Rodriguez scoring on an error on a pickoff throw.

ASU (13-7-1, 2-4) scored two in the fifth but Engelbrekt shut the door on the Sun Devils to end the inning.

The teams combined for just 12 hits compared to 18 walks – each side walked nine. Trever Allen had three hits to pace Arizona State, while four different OSU players had one hit apiece.

Neither starter lasted into the fifth inning. Oregon State’s Ben Wetzler worked 4 1/3 innings and did not figure in the decision. He allowed five hits and three runs with three walks.

Arizona State starter Adam McCreery, meanwhile, worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and four runs with three walks.

Oregon State jumps out of conference play for a series at San Diego Thursday through Saturday. First pitch Thursday is slated for 6 p.m. PT.